Muslim Workers’ Perceptions of Performing Prayers at Workplaces and Its Impacts on Their Work Performances

Abstract


 Purpose: Studies have shown that employees performing prayers at workplaces has raised several controversial issues relating to their working performances. As such, this study was carried out to examine Muslim workers’ perceptions of the positive impacts of performing obligatory prayers at their workplaces.
 Methodology: This study was based on a quantitative approach using an online survey based on Google form through which 200 Muslim workers, whose ages ranged from 18 to 50 years, were randomly selected to be the respondents. The Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) (version 23.00) was used to analyze the data descriptively in terms of frequency and percentage.
 Findings:Revealingly, the findings showed that most Muslim workers perceived performing obligatory prayers had significant impacts on making them more disciplined, punctual, able to work more independently, productive, and competitive. Equally revealing, they perceived strict observance of obligatory prayers had profound impacts on their perseverance to adhere to rules and to avoid committing a breach of trust. Such promising findings should inform employers the inalienable rights of Muslim employees to pray in their premises, which is enshrined in Malaysia’s federal constitution, and the positive impacts of prayers on their workers’ discipline, motivation, and ability, which collectively can help improve the productivity and profitability of their organizations.
 Significance:On a positive note, the above findings can help dispel several negative perceptions of some employers that Muslim workers performing prayers at workplaces will adversely affect their productivity, which was found in this study to be completely unfounded and untrue.